War-automobile.



S. KUPCHAK.

WAR AUTOMOBILE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I7, 1917- 1 ,253 ,6O5. Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETS SHEET l- Juucnfoz AS- lurch/wk,

gwwm av S. KUPCHAK.

WAR AUTOMOBILE- Avmcmou man APR. 11. 191:.

1,253,605. Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN KUPCHAK, OF BOSEVEAB, ALBERTA, CANADA.

wan-nu'romonmn.

' 1,253,605. sp ifi mm: m Patented Jan. 15, 1918.

7 y Application filed Apr-i117, 191v. SerlalNo.162,851. To all whomiit may concern: of-the rear corners of the car, the view being Be it known that I, STEPHEN KUPOBAK, a subject of the Kin of England, residing at Rosevea-r, in the rovince of Alberta and Dominion'of Canada, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in War-Automobiles, of which the following is a specification. 1

.blle car.

This invention relates to war material and has special "reference to an armored automo- One im ortant obi'ect of the invention is to improve t e genera construction of devices of this character.

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improved general construction of. traction means for devices of this character.

' the A'third important object of the invention is to provide improved means for maintainm a proper tension on a tractor machine 1n a evlce of'this character.

A fourth important object of the invention [is to provide means accessible from the interiorof the car for regulating the tension on themachine above referred to.

Fig. 3is a section on the line 3-3 of Fi 1. Fig. 41s a horizontal section ta en.

through theupper part of the car to show the p an of the interior, portions of the car beuiibrokenaway to show the parts under- Fig. 5-19 anenlarged detail view of one like parts in the partly in horizontal section.

Flg. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section through one-of the spur bearing links of a tractor machine.

In carrying out the objects of this invention and in the form herein disclosed there is provided a car body 10 of suitable armor plate and having its forward end rounded as at 11. Projecting above the roof of this car body is a conmn tower 12 provided with sight slots 13.. ccess to the interior of the car is obtained through a suitable door 14 and on the sides of the car are pro- ;vided sight sponsors or hoods 15 and 16.

In-the interior of the car there is provided the propelling engine 17 which is connected by a shaft 18 with the rear wheels in the manner common to automobiles and not deemed necessary here to be particularly shown. Extending across the interior are partitions 19 and in front of the forward partition there is provided a gun mount 20 whereon is a rapid fire gun 21 carrying a silencer 22. At the rear of the gun is an operators seat 23. At each side of this forward compartment containing the mount are, magazine compartments 24 for holding shells and the like. In the engine compartment are provided the oil, fuel and water tanks 25' and on one side of the car to the rear of these tanks is a series of lockers 26 while on the other side is a suitable bunk or berth 27. A rear access door 28 is also provided. Projecting from each side of the car is an armored shelf 29 and the car body is supported on wheels 30 located in front of and behind each armored shelf. These wheels 30 are equipped with peripheral sprocket teeth 31 and connecting the wheels on each side of the car is a chain 32 made up alternately of plain links and of.

the rods passing through suitable openings 37 in the shelves 29. Between each shelf 29 and the top of the respective housing the rod is threaded as at 38 and located on this threaded portion is a nut 40 the adjustment of which may be effected through a port 41 in the side of the car body 10' just above the floor. tical movement of the respective rod 37 and by the adjustment of the nut the Vertical limits of movement ofeach rod maybe varied at will. On the lower end of each rod 37 is a fork 42 wherein is j ournaled a resser wheel 43 which engages on top of the lower run of the respective chain 32 so as to force this lower run downward into contact with the earth. In order to resiliently hold the wheel 43 in its lowermost position the lower end of each rod 37 is threaded as at .4 and on this threaded portion is provided a "car nut 45 between which and the bottom of the housing is arranged a spring 46. Now by adjusting the nut 45 upward or downward as i he case may he the tension of the spring 46 is increased or decreased. In order to effect this adjustment from the interior of the car there is journaled in the housing a vertical shaft 47 which carries on its lower end a drum gear 48 meshing with a ear nut 45. On the upper end of the -sha 47 is a beveled gear 49 wherewith meshes a similar beveled gear 50 mounted on the horizontal shaft 51 which extends through the side wall of the car body and is provided on its inner end with a handled crank 52. It will be obvious that by rotating the handled crank 52 motion will be transmitted through the beveled gears and drum car 48 so that this gear nut 45 will be raise or lowered on the rod 37 and thereby vary the tension of the respective spring 46.

It will be obvious that when traveling over. certain classes of ground, as for instance on rocky ground a considerable lay is-advisable in the lower run of the-machine in order to prevent breakage and this play may be permitted by proper adjustment of the nut 40 and spring 46 which adjustment may be effected from within the car so that the operatorsare at no time exposed. to attack in the open. Furthermore, on very soft ground it is frequently advisable to maintain the chain 32 at all times in this lowermost position so that this may be eflected by ad ustment of the nut 40 into such posi tion that it will at all times press against the top of the housing.

The operation of the car is effected in the usual manner through the engine and 'in passing over ground of varying kinds the spring and range of movement of the wheels 43 are from time to time adjusted as the operators deem necessary.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the operators within the car are at all times This. nut 40 serves to limit the verfaces, shelves projectin latera circumstances is it necessary to go outside of the car to adjust the tension of the tractor chains.

There ha thus been provided a simple and ellicient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

.It is obvious that many minor changes maybe made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but able rods mounted in said housings, rollers on the lower ends of said rods and bearing on the bottom runs of said chains,'springs pressing said rollers downward, means accessible from within the body to vary the vertical limits of movement. of said rods and rollers, and other means operable from within the body for varyingthe tension of said springs. I

2. In a device of the kind described, a car body, spaced wheels on each side of said body, sprocket teeth on said wheels, tractor sprocket chains each connectingthe wheels on a respective side of said body, the lower runs of said chains constituting tread surfaces, shelves projectin laterally from said body between the w eels. of each side, housings carried by said shelves, vertically movable rod mounted in said housings, rollers on the lower ends of said rods and bearing on the bottom runs of'said chains, gear nuts threaded on the lower ends of the rodsbeneath the housings, springs between said nuts and housings, vertically disposed drum and gears meshing with the gear nuts, and means to rotate the drum gears including handled cranks located within the car body.

3. In a. device of the kind described, a car body, spaced wheels on each side of said body, sprocket teeth on said wheels, tractor sprocket chains each connecting the wheels on a respective side of said body, the lower runs of said chains constitut' tread surlfi from said body between the whee s of each side, housings carried by said shelves, vertically movable rods mounted in said housings, rollers on the lower ends of said rods andxbeari-ng on the bottom runsv of said chains, gear nuts threaded on the lower ends of the rods bethe car body for varying the vertical limits neath the housings, springs between said of movements of said ro s. nuts and housings; vertically disposed drum In testimony whereof I affix m si ature. 10

' and gears meshing with the gear nuts, and g STEPHEN C K. 5 means to rotate the drum gears including Witnesses:

handled cranks located within the car body, E. H. TUCKER,

and adjustable means accessible from within FRANK C. Cmvnn, 

